Annotation:Cullen House (1)


Moyra Cowie (The Life and Times of William Marshall, 1999) records that the Duchess of Gordon, Jane Maxwell (the wife of Marshall's employer, Alexander, the 4th Duke of Gordon) was involved in litigation with James Earl of Findlater and Seafield in the late 1800's. It seems that the Earl attended a ceremony for the completion of the ship The Duchess of Gordon, sheathed on its underside in copper. He was reputedly overheard to say to Brodie of Brodie words to the effect that he 'knew the Duchess had a brass neck and a brazen face but never knew she had a copper arse!' The Duchess, not amused upon hearing of the remark, decided to pursue a case of slander in the courts. Findlater fled to his estate in Saxony, Germany, and never returned.